Plate-cutter.



ARTHUR LE ROY LEIDICH, OF EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA,

PLATE-CUTTER.

Specificaticn of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 1,1913.

Application filed June 25, 1912. Serial No. 705,882.

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Be it known that I, ARTHR LE ROY LEIDICH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Easton, in the county of Northampton and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain neW and useful Improve ments in Plate-Cutters, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to knives which are usecl in print shops for cutting plates of cast type, and the principal objeot of the invention is to provide a knife of the character desoribed which is so constructed that the plate of type may be readily out with one movement of the arm, and also to provide a knife which may be used for cutting ont what is known in the trade as nigger heads. This knife may also be used for trimming the edges of the plate of type after being broken thereby permitting the plate of type to fit into the frame which carries the type.

It Will, therefore, be seen that this invention provides a knife of very simple and oheap construction Which Will very readily and efioienfly perform a number of difierent operations due to its peculiar shape.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings whereinz Figure 1 is a side view of the knife blade with the handle sections removed. Fig. 2 is a. view similar to Fig. 1 with the handle sections in place. Fig. 3 is an edge view of the knife with the handle sections in place.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, it Will be seen that this invention comprises a blade 10 which is of the same diameter throughout the greater portion of its length and is provided with openings 11 through Which rivets 12 may pass in order to connect the handle sections 13 with the blade.

The forward end portion 14 of the blade is tapered as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and terminates in a triangular head 15, the base of which is of the same width as the body portion of the blade, thus permitting the knife blades to be formed from lengths of strip steel of the same width throughout their entire length. This permits the blanks from WhiCh the blades are made to be struck ofi' by a cutting machine thus 'than the rearward greafly redficing the cost of the blanks. The sides 16 of the head are beveled as shown in the drawing and converge from the rear corners 17 to the point 18 at the forward end of the head thus making a knife having its end provided with two cutting edges starting at the sharp near corners and terminating in a sharp point at the forWard end of the knife. After the blank has been out by the cutting machine the side portions of the blank may be ont or filed to form the eut-out portions shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the forward end is then ont or filed to form the converging forward edges and the knife then tempered and ground to form the beveled sides for the cutting edges thus forming a very serviceable knife WhiCh can be produced at a very small Cost.

When using this knife and it is desired to ont a plate et type in tvvo, the plate is grasped with one hand and the knife in the other with one of the points 17 resting upon the plate at the point at which it is desired to out the plate. The knife is then drawn toward the 'person and the sharp point 17 Will dig into the soft plate of type thus making a deep eut Whl h permits the plate to be easily broken by striking the plate With a suitable instrument. After the plate has been broken the rough edge may be trimmed ofi by the sharpened edges 16 and the type plate is then ready for use. If there are any nigger heads or wrong letters in the plate of type they may loe readily removed by the sharp point 18. It Will, there fore, be seen that a knife of very simple construction has been provided Which may be readily used to perform a number of different operations and with the minimum amount of work.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is:*

A plate cutter comprising a blade having a body portion with blunt tapering edges, the forward end thereof being na1*rower end, a triangularshaped head integral with the forward end of and in the same plane as said body portion, the base of said head being of substantially the same width as the rearward end of said body portion and forming angular shoul ders adjacent the tapering edges thereof,

sad shoulders being blunt, the two remain- In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my ing edges of said triangular head being signature in presence of two witnesses. sharpened throughout their lengths to form* ARTHR LE ROYLEIDICH a sharpened point at the apex thereof, the

said triangular head being symmetrcafly Witnesses:

disposed with respect to the longitudinal HARRY. F. MIERS, axis of said body portion of the blade. JOHN BRUNNER.

Copies of ths patent may be obtainedor five cen1;s each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents,

Washington; 2D. 0.. 

